سَلask الحيَّthe tribe عنيabout me هلwhether غشيتُI frequented لغيرهِbelonging to someone other than him
سَل الحيَّ عني هل غشيتُ لغيرهِ
مقاماًa court منamong الصِّيدthe proud الرقابnecks أوليpossessors of الوجدwealth
مقاماً من الصِّيد الرقاب أولي الوجد
Ask the tribe about me: have I ever attended another's
court, among the proud-necked men of means?
وهلand whether سَنَّprescribed ليfor me مطْلُthe delay of الأمانيhopes تودُّداًcourting goodwill
وهل سَنَّ لي مطْلُ الأماني تودُّداً
لذيtoward one possessing قدرةٍpower لمnot يُؤْوَrefuge be sought منهfrom him إِلىin ودِّgoodwill
لذي قدرةٍ لم يُؤْوَ منه إِلى ودِّ
And has the delay of my hopes taught me to court
a man of power in whose goodwill no refuge was sought?
وفاءًout of loyalty وعِلْماًand in the knowledge أنهthat he الواحدُthe only one الذيwho
وفاءً وعِلْماً أنه الواحدُ الذي
أحَقُّmost deserving وأولىand most worthy بالثَّناءِof acclaim وبالحمدِand of praise
أحَقُّ وأولى بالثَّناءِ وبالحمدِ
Out of loyalty, and knowing that he alone
is most deserving and most worthy of acclaim and praise.
أعَزُّهُمُthe mightiest of them جاراًas a neighbor and protector اذاwhen اُسْلِمَis abandoned الحمىthe protected land
أعَزُّهُمُ جاراً اذا اُسْلِمَ الحمى
وأوفاهُمُand the most faithful of them عندamid الحوادثِcalamities بالعهدِto the pledge
وأوفاهُمُ عند الحوادثِ بالعهدِ
Their mightiest protector when the protected land is abandoned,
and the truest among them to his pledge amid calamities;
وأشْرفهمand the noblest of them يومَon the day of الفَخارِboasting تَسانُداًleaning for support
وأشْرفهم يومَ الفَخارِ تَسانُداً
إِلىon النَّسبlineage الوضَّاحillustrious والحسبand ancestral honor العِدِّdeep-rooted
إِلى النَّسب الوضَّاح والحسب العِدِّ
and their noblest on the day of boasting, leaning
on illustrious lineage and deep-rooted ancestral honor.
فتىًa youth لمnot تُدرِّجْهُraise him gradually الأمورُevents إِلىto عُلاًeminence
فتىً لم تُدرِّجْهُ الأمورُ إِلى عُلاً
ولكنbut مُطاعٌobeyed فيin البَقيرةِthe sleeveless infant's garment والمَهْدِand the cradle
ولكن مُطاعٌ في البَقيرةِ والمَهْدِ
A youth whom events did not raise step by step to eminence,
but who was obeyed even in his infant's garment and cradle.
هوhe الواقفthe one who devotes البأسmight المُمنَّعimpregnable والغنىand wealth
هو الواقف البأس المُمنَّع والغنى
علىto عاجليْthe two prompt acts of أِحسانهhis kindness النصرsuccor والرفدand bounty
على عاجليْ أِحسانه النصر والرفد
He is the one who devotes his impregnable might and wealth
to his two swift benefactions: succor and bounty.
ويجمعُand he unites ضدَّيْthe two opposites هيبةٍawe ودُعابةٍand playfulness
ويجمعُ ضدَّيْ هيبةٍ ودُعابةٍ
ويقرنُand he couples ماwhat lies بنbetween اللَّطافةِgentleness والجِدِّand earnestness
ويقرنُ ما بن اللَّطافةِ والجِدِّ
And he unites the two opposites, awe and playfulness,
and couples gentleness with earnestness.
ويُلوىand is bent بلينِby the gentleness of القولِspeech حَدُّthe edge of غِرارهhis blade
ويُلوى بلينِ القولِ حَدُّ غِراره
وقدthough indeed أحجمتhave recoiled عنbefore عزمهhis resolve قُضبُswords الهندIndia
وقد أحجمت عن عزمه قُضبُ الهند
And the edge of his blade is bent by gentle speech,
though the swords of India have recoiled before his resolve.
فلاso may ... not زالَcease معروفُthe kindness of الوزيرthe minister وبأسُهand his might
فلا زالَ معروفُ الوزير وبأسُه
نَفُوعْينboth greatly beneficial منهfrom him للطَّريدto the fugitive وللمُكْديand to the destitute
نَفُوعْين منه للطَّريد وللمُكْدي
So may the minister's kindness and his might never cease
to bring help from him to the fugitive and the destitute.
Translation model: Sol 6.1